Friday, August 21, 2009

New Rule: No Shame in Being the Sorry Party

New Rule: If Mitt Romney, Karl Rove and Sarah Palin all think America has never done anything wrong, we must be doing something wrong. Look at them: an empty suit, an empty heart and an empty head. It looks like the news team on Good Morning Hell. And what they've been competing about lately is who would not apologize the most. America is infallible, and apologies are horrible things that must never, ever be given. Except by me when I make a joke about the Pope. "We're perfect -- deal with it," is their new handshake. But I say, what's wrong with America occasionally saying, "I'm sorry"? Because these are the three sorriest white people I've ever seen.

If in your eyes America can do no wrong, you should really look into Lasik surgery. There's the rational, mature assessment of our country: that it's a great nation -- especially if you like fried foods -- but it also has its faults. And then there's the Republican view: that it's perfect and pure in every way and it's always right all the time, just like Leviticus and Ronald Reagan.

If the founders were alive today, Republicans would be giving them shit because the Declaration of Independence says, "In order to form a more perfect union? Hello, it's already perfect! Why are you suggesting American apologetics, Ben Franklin?"

One of the things that makes Republicans furious about our current president is their idea that Obama is always apologizing for America's biggest mistakes. Unlike President Bush. Who was one of America's biggest mistakes.

In his first week as president, Obama did an interview with Arab TV in which he said, "We sometimes make mistakes. We have not been perfect." Thought crime! And then he went to Cairo and violated one of those absolute eternal rules the Right Wing is always making up out of thin air: "The president must never apologize on foreign soil. Lest our allies begin to doubt that we're assholes. "

But what did Obama actually say to make Karl Rove's head explode and the popcorn fly out? Cover your children's ears: When he was asked if he believed in American exceptionalism, he said he did, the same way "the Brits believe in British exceptionalism and the Greeks in Greek exceptionalism." Yes, our so-called president actually said people in other countries might like their countries better. I was so shocked I nearly dropped the Bible I was using to help me masturbate into my gun.

In her farewell speech -- if only -- Sarah Palin kept telling us "how she's wired." Now I'm not a doctor, or an electrician -- but this is faulty wiring, this worldview that, in her words, "we should never apologize for our country." Really? Never? Not for slavery? Or Japanese internment camps, or if we tortured the wrong guy at Guantanamo? The Indians? Nothing, Sarah? "The Real Housewives of Atlanta"? Shouldn't John McCain apologize for... you?

When did intractability become a virtue? Mitt Romney's new book is called No Apology: The Case For American Greatness. You can find it at Borders, in the "Suck-Up" section. It's such a perfect title, combining paranoia with arrogance: "No one has yet asked me to apologize but, if someone ever does, fuck them."

Conservatives think apologizing is a sign of weakness. It's what liberal pussies do, when they're not busy driving electric cars and feeling empathy. When in fact it's the weak and the scared who are too insecure to apologize. Apologies are actually a sign of strength. That's why six-year-olds hate them.

In Rwanda, after a genocide that killed a million people, they set up special courts where people stood up and said, "Hey, sorry I macheted your entire family. My bad." And believe it or not, in most cases, that was enough. That's the power of an apology. A recent study reveals that doctors who are willing to apologize to patients for their mistakes are sued for malpractice about half as much as doctors who aren't willing to apologize.

Apologies can do great things, and they can enable great things. And if you still don't believe me, I have three words for you: make-up sex.

122 comments:

There is a proper way of giving an apology. First, the individual needs to feel like they have done something to apologize for.

Often people will say "I'm sorry" (or something in that vain) to simply defuse a situation. It is avoidance and not taking responsibility for their actions. I would rather someone say they will not apologize because of some reason. This is honest, not some half-baked non-apology which buries a problem for a possible later date.

An apology is: "I apologize that I did (specific action), it was wrong."

Most apologies will come with deflection or some sort of precondition. "I'm sorry that you were hurt by my actions." This put some of the blame on the person that is being apologized to. "When I get stressed out, I act this way, I am sorry." This is rationalizing a behavior instead of properly apologizing for it.

We can see where not admitting fault has gotten us so far. Did you see that our Senate finally officially apologized to African-Americans for all the shit they were put through. It took until 2009 to say "our bad about slavery, Jim Crow, lynchings and other little things"...

George Bush Sr. is thinking: "I'm glad I fucked that bitch. I just wish I wasn't marry to Bar when I did it."

John Ensign is thinking: "I'm sorry I fucked that bitch."

John McCain is thinking: "I'm sorry I still fuck every whore I see."

Rudolph Giuliani is thinking: "I'm sorry I fucked that bitch."

Rush Limbaugh is thinking: "I'm sorry I fucked that bitch."

Bill O’Reilly is thinking: "I'm sorry I phone sexed that bitch."

Newt Gingrich is thinking: "I'm sorry all those whores I fucked talked."

Bob Dole is thinking: "I'm sorry I fucked that bitch."

Ted Haggard is thinking: "I'm sorry I fucked that guy."

...long list to include current & pending embarrassments. Leave you with this one:

W: I'm sorry those Blackwater commandos couldn't keep their mouthes shut. I hope the investigatory committee keeps mum about that American civilian I ordered murdered on US soil, the one who sued over the 2000 grab. I'm sorry I couldn't own another term and clear all this mess up."

The republicants will never, never, never round up the seniors over 65 and death panel them. First most republicants and their 'donors' are seniors, and more important they would have to shut down social security. Shut down the uber cash cow? No fucking way!

What 'god' was Sarah channelling when she came up with this shit?

Party of regret? Think of the wives!(chorus) "I'm sorry I didn't leave that two timing excuse for a man sooner! I hope he dies!"

GOLF was last week. Bill has been maintaining this, his blog with greater frequency... much like the lottery adjusting the probabilities of their random number generator and doubling the number of lotteries.

In both state and national lotteries noone is picking up partial sets anymore.

I challenge any statistician to step up and analyze the lottery number probabilities::win events over the past 30 years. I promise extreme anomolies in the sample ratio. The patterns are machine like...

America apologize? International politics looks like schoolyard politics now and in review, as far back as I know.

Who should America apologize to and for what? Definitely the aboriginal nations for overrunning their lands and cultures, but if we didn't do it someone else would have. Consider what the Spanish did to South America, Mexico and the California indian nations: 85% raped out of existence, the remainder declared criminals when the Spanish crown granted their lands to his/her favorites, then hunted down and murdered or enslaved the rest. The Mexicans fleeing into America are mostly Toltec/Olmec; not spanaird. Watch Telemundo once in a while.

So, the reservations provided at least some protection to the weaker cultures, otherwise this discussion would be moot and shooting drug runners at the borders wouldn't land you in prison. Also, we have paid massive remuneration checks to the indiginous peoples since the reservation program began. Its bloody and ugly and unfair, but thats the way it is.

The alternatives were far worse. This was the best that could be done with an unplanned total population displacement scenario at that time with the knowledge available. This is still how we operate...

We try to do better now. We still suck mightilly, but we are by far best in the world. If not for W we would be by many magnitudes of order the world leaders in pursuit of reason. Despite that ongoing major fuckup (W, for the slugs) we are still ahead and have a solid community orientation, based on our history, to advance.

As for all nations and races. The fuckers who did the crimes are long gone. Today we (except Sarah Palin and the church of the black hole) aggressively seek out and prosecute likeminded assholes.

Apologize to the African slaves? It was done: Study the disaster that is Liberia; the white casualties of the Civil War. That one was paid immediately, in blood.

I will stand for reparations for every injustice done to any Americans due to race after the civil war. The problem is this includes all Americans, and the citizens of all nations: its still happening, everywhere. We strive to do better. If you strive to do better, you are one of us. Otherwise, brace yourself for some heavy evolution.

The same equal justice will be applied to all.

Figure that out.

So, how did Joe Arpaio miss the militants on hs turf? I don't believe he did; I think its a fraud perpetrated by an 'intelligence community' entity, foriegn or domestic. Probably someone who picked him as a inside player and told him to shut up... domestic. Why don't you ask him?

So justice for everyone now and the apology for long past injustices is all we have. Its like this: Lets get along, or die.

Jay Leno is an absolute loser. He had nothing whatsoever to say. That continues his tradition of so many year. He plays. He laughs. He means nothing at all. He has failed to enlighten America on any subject whatsoever. What a zero. Why the hell did you have him on? Yes. Publicity. When he speaks, we yawn and turn away,so no wonder you defeeered to hima t least ten times. Good for you and the desire to be a whore.

If liberals are so busy feeling empathy why can't they understand that some people (not the wackos screaming about death panels, but rational folks that are happy with their current health plan) have legitimate issues with creating a government bureaucracy. People have a right to be concerned about the impact to the healthcare options they already enjoy, and it is possible that the current plans could have negative impacts on the level of care I receive. I am in favor of a great many things under this reform...providing coverage to people that can't afford it (but I don't want to give people another incentive to avoid being productive members of society), regulating insurance companies, disallowing rejecting or cancelling coverage due to pre-existing conditions.

Democrats claim to be interested in making America better for everyone, but their actions indicate that they simply want to take from some of us and redistribute to those less fortunate. I grew up with a single mother and no healtcare, so I have a great deal of empathy for those in that situation. But I worked hard and put myself through college, and am resentful of anyone trying to take something away from me to give it to someone else.

And one Senate committee working with 3 Republicans is not an effort at bi-partisanship...to most Democrats it is a speed bump.

I just want to know why are middle America, Southern people..etc the bad guys?...Cindy Sheehan is protesting Obama.. where's that in the news...Violence is up...where's that in the news...Our country financially is in the toilet but, SANE, HARDWORKING SUPPLYING YOUR ASSES UP NORTH-WEST-EAST WITH FOOD, GAS...ETC. think that about us?

I pray for the day again that the American Flag and the true meaning of what this great country once stood for returns!

What you need is to find TR Ried and have him explain his film on Sick In America, which answers a lot of questions. Even his book has a lot of information. Yes his film was cut up and he took his name off it it but he would be great for your show.

Even having Howard Zinn who tells it like it is would be a great person since he has been through some changes in our country.

People need to hear from others where to go to get the right information and educate themselve. Our media will not tell us the truth.

I feel sorry for us to show the rest of the world how stupid we are. Phoenix,Arizona protesters arrived with guns when it's all about healthcare and this people have the right to vote? I feel so sorry for our country. Maryland, a man held a placard can publicly utter an unequivocal threat to the life of the President and his family, and this is fine? This is not about freedom of speech, this is about threatening our President and his family and no matter if he is a Democrat or a Republican this is so wrong.Threats to the President are very serious indeed, undemocratic and anti-american. Violators of the law should be prosecuted to the fullest extend and serve long sentences.I wonder if these gun-toting protesters were black or middle estern then their rights would been well and truly violated.Yes, I feel sorry for us, we are eroding the very basis of our democraty. This is the same factional militancy that we deride in other countries.Maybe it's better that we did nothing against I guess it's what they are waiting for, if they were arrested it would have been a lightning rod issue for the gun loving groups, certainly Christians and pro-life! They would have been so happy to start some serious rioting and more.Did this ever happen when Bush was President? Uh, no the people protested Bush, funnily enough were of the peace-loving variety.When Bush went to Germany in 2005, in Mainz, the city became a ghost town and the entire area ground to halt due to restrictions on air, river and road. Several school were closed and the opel factory cancel to shifts , affecting 5000 workers.letter boxes and bins were removed, residents along the road were forbiden to use their balconies or look out their windows! And yet in Arizona these barking loons can flaunt semi-automatic assault weapons with impunity! This is the decline of America as a free thinking democracy and all this anger because a President want to do something for his country! I'm from France, Europe represent nearly 600 millions of people, each country has in own public healthcare and they are doing very well.I can't imagine if someone was saying no more public healthcare just deal with private companies! This is insane and nobody realize here this not about freedom when you have just one option!So these people arrive with guns because they are happy to give their money to private compagnies who will reject them as soon are they are sick!How many people gathered outside when the President get elected? Could we do the same just for the healthcare? It's about time to wake up!

If you think Obama was elected not placed by the NWO I feel for you.Didn't you LISTEN to those interviews you did with George Carlin? Or have the NWO elites bought you out? I think your "I'm rebelled catholic jew" mental state has blown you out of reality. I hope to counsel you on who and what God really is. http://www.youtube.com/matthewwp56

South your full of shit; I saw a black man strapped with an automatic repeating shot rifle (AK or similar) at the last Obama speech. You people are ignorant of your universe; I could kill a speaker outdoors with my belt and a rock; it's called a sling. Guns are not the problem fools; the issue is BOUNDARIES. If you are in my house at night you deserve to be shot. If you are on my daughter behind the school you need to be shot, and if there is no gun I'll simply rip your windpipe out with my big strong manly hands, because I am a patriot. No fools; guns are not the problem; pussies are. LOL! Long live George Carlin still surprised he made it in and that Jesus loves his humor.

Apologies do mean a lot, and sincere ones even more. I know many people in my personal life who my relationships would be so much better if the person would only have apologized for something...mom! But so many are just so stubborn and have to be right all the time, just like big babies. Mr. Maher, I'm now following your tweets, can you make them more interesting? like maybe talk about your dogs? You have two right? That's what I read, I only have one, he's a rescue too, I used to work at a humane society, I've seen and done it all. I love that you care about animals, I don't know how anyone couldn't, but there are so many monsters out there, speaking of which, I heard the Eagles here have a new team mate.

WOW I think that reading these comments just shows that we need more education in our country. For example anything independent_thinker has written in the last few weeks has not been founded in logic that I can see but they were entertaining. I hope that they are written from a place of satire. At least it makes me feel better to read them that way. As for Wizard Willy he just scares me. RtPt I agree but would like to add my most hated for deflection apologies "I am sorry but..." my gut reaction to that statement is "take some funking ownership in your actions."

Hoping Bill will comment on/seek an interview with Jimmy Carter on his recent (July 09) public statement, eloquently made, about his decision to leave the Southern Baptist Convention due to its, and most major religions antiquated and oppressive beliefs that perpetrate social injustice at home and around the world. An important event that needs more notice and discussion.

I am comparing this comment to the insurance companies. If there is no real competion, then one or an entity can certainly have no shame in being sorry or greedy.

We need a new party or parties. I can tolerate the democrats but we definitely need some one more intellectual to compete with them in a reasonable way (meaning a party who does not use peoples ignorance against them to win battles or continue to make the rich richer).

We need a party that will represent big business but with a sense of fairness to the American people.

We are a very socialist I think you are just plain stupid about it. When was the last time you got a bill for use of the police, library, schools, and this is the short list. To add health care to that list is not a bad thing, but maybe you think we should have to pay a bill when the cops come to your aid. They can wait to see if your credit card will clear before they can get to you. You will have one ready when you call right?

Until the faith based presidency reared its ugliness we didn't have commissars reporting everything we do to the Central Scrotinizers.

I'm thinking that my doctors use the same faulty statistical models with about the same degree of cluelessness as a wall street junk bond broker. I take some comfort knowing that this is at best the same care the upper class twits receive... it was better before HMOs.

I recently heard from my father that you condone socialism in the United States, and that you made such an audacious proclamation when Jay Leno was a guest on your show. Well, Sir, perhaps you should go live in a socialist country for a while to see if you truly like being governed by a socialist government.

Socialized health care is the proverbial foot in the door for socialism. Karl Marx has wrote extensively on how socialism is a transitory bridge towards communism. Anyhow, if it wasn't for capitalism, you would not be as successful as you are today!

Well I made sure to be home and watching Conan tonight just to see you Mr. Maher. You looked great by the way and I just love to hear what you have to say. I wish you hadn't gotten cut short, I wanted to hear what you eat...I'm wondering if you're raw by chance? I am, I love it, I have some garbanzo croquettes going in the dehydrator right now. It's hard being raw here in PA, I bet it's easier out in CA. I figured if your friends with Mrs. Kutchor then you may be raw 'cause I heard she is. The way people eat scares me to death, they don't think and no one says anything. Like ever been in the hospital? They feed the patients poison, this cooked, processed, starchy stuff, and that's supposed to be where people go to get healthy, it's so absurd. And another thing is these cancer research shindigs that sell or serve junk food to raise money for figuring out the cause of cancer wow, really freaking scary. I gave up even thinking about it, it's like the patients running the asylum in this world. Stupid is no where near strong enough a word to describe most of the people in this world and stupidity is incredibly dangerous, that's why the world is such a dangerous place.

Dude, Bill, you're killing me with the gun control talk. You have no idea what you're talking about on this issue. Let me give you an example. There's Mormons living in Mexico, having fled the U.S. a century ago due to persecution. They are now in Mexico and have mixed in with the population enough to make many of them look full-on Mexican (just so this isn't a white versus Mexican thing.) Anyway, many of these Mormons were vocally opposed to the drug cartels. One night, the drug cartels walked into the Mormon compound, dragged out one of the men and boys and executed them. Why were the cartels able to do this? Because the Mormons had no guns, like most of the good people, because of the stringent gun control laws. BUT OF COURSE THE CARTELS AND OTHER CRIMINALS HAVE THEM. IF PEOPLE ARe WILLING TO KILL THEY DON'T GIVE A SHIT ABOUT CARRYING AN UNLAWFUL FIREARM. So now we've delegated the guns to people who don't give a shit about any laws. GOOD THINKING BILL. Why don't you turn your astute powers of analysis back on yourself for once? Then maybe you'd see you're just as Dogmatic on these issues as a Catholic is about the Pope being infallible. IF GUNS ARE OUTLAWED ONLY OUTLAWS CARRY GUNS. DUH!!!! They don't go, "Gee, I was gonna arm rob and/or kill someone today, but I guess I can't because of the gun laws. I better carry a knife." But gun laws would make law-abiders, people who don't want to commit a crime, not carry weapons. Now you've just empowered the criminal. And what are we supposed to do Bill, walk around with a police escort all the time, you fucking idiot! I love ya man, but you think you're way too smart for someone who builds their ideologies on such shaky ground. One of these days I'm no doubt gonna be on your show. I won't give away why and you probably won't know that I'm Crusader. But, I'm gonna hold your notions accountable with logical debate the likes of which you never faced from a conservative. I might be able to break through your own brainwashing. I grew up in a house without guns, a house that hates hunting, a house that believed in gun control. So I'm not brainwashed. I came to see how important self-defense weaponry is to stop the criminals from thinking they own the joint. You, on the other hand, have very little substance to your debates. You are worse than a neocon in your ability to make something more than it is. Just as neocons take terrorist attacks and turn them into acts of war to give them pretext to go to war with sovereign nations and to take our own freedoms of privacy and whatnot away, you gun-controllers take a few random acts of violence and want to take away good Americans' sovereign rights!

And stop confusing conservatives with Republicans you numbnuts! Both parties are liberal. There is no conservative party. True conservatives hate pointless, wasteful wars. Thus, Bush and Mccain don't represent us. They were also for amnesty. I voted for Barack, Kerry and Gore. Attack Republicans if you wish to, but I would stay away from attacking conservatives in such an interventionist way. Are you trying to lose any semblance of excitement on your show. You attack conservatives so intensely, why should they watch you? And then why should any go on your show? And then you're left again with no debate, just a giant liberal ass-licking session. Your show was built off spirited debate! Not a bunch of self-satisfied douchebags whining or bragging about liberalism.

Props to Jay! He actually showed a hint of not being controlled by the same liberal brainwashing as you all!

Most of your episodes express some concern for service members warring overseas - I hope you'll find a way, some day, to draw attention to those who love them. Four more soldiers dead in Afghanistan today, which means at least four people who have been scared shitless every day that the person they love will die just found out they were afraid for a reason.

"Homefront" by Kristen J. Tsetsi (me) gets intimate with the experience of waiting with a literary slant (not non-fic, not MY personal story, but a story based on my experience w/my husband's deployment).

James Moore writes, "I had never had a better understanding of the agony of military separation until I read Kristen Tsetsi's haunting and lyrical debut novel Homefront."

The soldiers' stories are important, unarguably; but those they leave behind go through their own special brand of hell - one worth giving attention. I'd love to send you a copy of the book. Please feel free to contact me at kjt@kristentsetsi.com.

And thanks a lot for being all loosey goosey on illegal immigration you liberal assfucks! Now we got a potential plague that could kill a hundred thousand Americans. And mainly kids and young adults unlike the normal flu. Thanks a lot for endangering our children once more. You let a bunch of unchecked third worlders Into your country and this is what you get. You libs are not as sharp as you think.

How can you blame liberals for the immigration issue? Bad cop GHB is the one who opened up immigration policy, good cop Bill of the curly wand closed it, then W "Who me, president?" opened it again, and proceded to prosecute US border guards for shooting drug smugglers who shot at them. Are you saying the Bush Gang is a bunch of liberal assfgucks? Assfucks definitely, but only liberal to their gangster allies.

I can see how you'd be confused by all this. Just do what I have done since the power elite crass assassinated JFK: trust no government 'servant'. They are all out to get us.

I thought Jay got a good one in when he asked Jeremy Scahill if he's paranoid. That was what I was thinking: considering how many Americans and troops they killed to cover this up, why aren't you dead already, Scahill?

Why is Tim McVeigh dead & Charlie Manson not? I think McVeigh got recruited out of special forces into black ops... they had to shut him up.

Not that the left comes out more even keeled every time, but the right has been the so headstrong up their own asses about an America that hardly exists in comic books let alone their half-baked manifestos. And if they could verbalize their grand vision, I'm CERTAIN it involves rubbing off with a King James into a Smith & Wesson. Kudos. Loved that line on the show.

Also really liked your point about how Democrats can't sell good ideas worth a damn. It's pathetic and tragic - Pelosi, Reid and the top Democratic brass are less convincing than substitute teachers on the Friday before summer break. "Healthcare reform" doesn't paint a picture of hard-working American's versus evildoers or injustice like the "Patriot Act", "Death Tax" or "Flip-flopper". I think it's about who can piss off their supporters more over the opposition, and Republicans win this hands down every time. Democrats just seem to cling to the sober analysis of facts, as if that's what a voting public cares about. If they're ever gonna compete with Dousches like Hannity, O'Reily, and every radio nutjob that writes the playbook for the Right, Democrats need to get good at enraging the liberal base and their moderate friends. You'd think facts would be a good foundation for this.

Perhaps in this respect the right has the upper hand: when you're base is informed by chain emails and cable TV pundits, it probably makes selling "death panels" a whole lot easier and effective.

"So, the reservations provided at least some protection to the weaker cultures, otherwise this discussion would be moot and shooting drug runners at the borders wouldn't land you in prison. Also, we have paid massive remuneration checks to the indiginous peoples since the reservation program began. Its bloody and ugly and unfair, but thats the way it is.

The alternatives were far worse. This was the best that could be done with an unplanned total population displacement scenario at that time with the knowledge available. This is still how we operate... "

Weaker cultures??? We are still here and our culture is stronger every day. So strong in fact that you white people come to our worthless land that you enslaved us on to find culture.

The only way you could win was by lying and cheating and breaking every treaty ever made! You put our children in boarding schools to civilize them by beating and raping them. Yet our languages and traditions still stand. My relative, you are the weaker culture.

Are you serious? The liberals dominate the tv media. Liberal views are conveyed in many shows as well as most news outlets. It seems to me you are blaming the dip in the recent polls on conservatives. Or frankly, anyone who dares to question. You want to talk facts? No problem with that. It is a bit hard to get some facts when you have one of the most non-transparent administrations ever and a media who mostly ignores the tough questions and investigations. You have a media who had no problem sending dozens of reporters to find dirt on a woman they deemed a threat, yet how many in the media are asking tough questions of this administration?

The media spends more time making sexual jokes of people at tax protests, calling those against Obamacare 'Mobs', etc.

No one is out there questioning the tactics of this administration. Why is spending trillions you dont have a good thing? Why is Holder pursuing the CIA, yet weeks ago or so decided it was not worth while to prosecute the Black Panthers who intimidated voters? Why did Obama appoint over 30 czars? Who are these people exactly and will they ever be vetted? Why did he appoint Van Jones, an admitted radical and communist? (his words, not mine)Just what does this President believe? Is he a socialist, marxist? Does he support capitalism? Given his own words of his past, and the people he surrounds himself with, I think these are good questions and I would like to hear his answers.

I love how some of you liberals love to bash people like Rush and now even Beck, who goes after both sides. I dont care much for Hannity myself because he never brings much new to the table. No investigating or tough thinking. But I would put up Rush or Glenn Beck any day in a debate with someone like Bill Maher or any liberal.

I see Maher loves to poke fun of religion, specifically Christianity. He isnt much different from many in the Hollywood and media today. Yet why is it Christianity is a primary target? Why not "dare" go after Islam for instance? Why this obsession with Christianity? SIngling out one religion to attack is cowardish and childish.

if you really believe saying sorry is a good thing, then why haven't you apologized for lying about who you know really attacked America on September 11, 2001?

Ignoring my comment that I have posted here on the lies told about NORAD is deafening. Why are you so shy about the government/media continuing to lie about NORAD on 9/11?

Bill, 3,000 Americans were pulverized in the towers on 9/11. My articles on NORAD have already proved that NORAD DID monitor American (and Canadian) airspace on 9/11, so I've done my little part for those 3,000 souls. You, however, continue to take money from HBO under pretense.

When we die, all of us will have to look into the eyes of God, and He will see which one of us was a coward. I may be many things, but I'm not a coward!

Bill, one more thing. Please stop removing my NORAD posting. You may not care what was published about NORAD back in the 1990s, however, quite a few of your readers do care, as should all true Americans who don't just pay lip service to the Republic.

First, I must say that quite a few people in this blog should start apologizing to each other, for the insults and foul language. I mean can't people air their differences with a little respect.

Second, I agree apologizing is a sign of maturity and strength not weakness. If we cannot admit to our errors then we are condemned to repeat them. But, we also have to start learning from our errors rather than just plugging along in what tradition dictates. This goes for governments as well as citizens around the world.

Someone in this blog talked about the French and how they don't have guns so don't go around shooting each other. Sorry your wrong, you might want to follow the French and European press a little more closely. Kids in Europe are also starting to shoot it out in schools, and I lots of people have rifles for hunting. And, sometimes those hunted are 2 legged animals; don't be fooled.

Believe me the entire world should start apologizing because we have really screwed up this planet, but the Americans seem to be the only ones who are even starting to apologize for it.

I have been going through a domestic abuse/divorce/custody battle for the past 2 years in Spain, and while women are dropping like flies at the hands of violent abusive partners Spanish culture and institutions continue to promote and encourage the abuse, behind the facade of a constitution and a bunch of inapplicable laws.

At least Arab and Muslim women are not lied to, and know what they are up against in their efforts to liberate themselves and fight for their rights.

This world had better take a reality check, because as a psychiatric nurse in Spain told me "The ones outside are crazier than the ones inside!!!" And, she was right in the past 2 years I have never dealt with more crazy, psychopaths (within the domestic abuse "solution" system) than in my entire life. And, I have know some real duzzies.

But, you know what, I have found that the same BULL SHIT I encountered in Spain in regard to domestic abuse and incompetent, corrupt judicial systems is going on in the USA. Just get on one of the domestic abuse related chats and you'll see what is going on is disgusting.

Part of the problem is that journalist wait until these poor women are killed, and then everyone stands around scratching their head as to what happened. As well as starting on a media frenzy with all of the gory details. Maybe if one of them would cover the amount of incompetence and corruption in the whole mess, someone would start cleaning it up, rather than slapping on another law that everyone ignores.

Sure Bill, just "drag" us all to believe that you know whats best for America. You dont care one bit about coming up with a better plan, just as long as you get your paycheck for spewing the progressive message right?

You bark about everything wrong about the Bush administration but wont wake up from your Obama stupor and realize that he's the one REALLY trying to screw over America. You haven't a rational brain cell in your head. But not to worry, Jesus still loves you, no matter how ignorant and emotional you are about your views.

Keep up with the emotions and hate mongering while the intellectuals will debate rationally and figure out how to get us out of this health care mess you and Obama want to drag us to, without raising the deficit another few trillion dollars.

WOW!!!Never a dull moment on this blog!!!Apologies aren't worth a thing unless they are sincere. I'd rather not hear one. At least that's honest.What did Wizard Willy say about sycophants? Seems to be a good mix to me! There is alot of constructive critisism (NOT!. Certainly, Bill takes Freedom of Speech very seriously. Disagree with him on politics, and social issues, and he gives you a place to vent it. Those of us who can't afford a therapist, get another day of freedom from the asylum. Thanks Bill! Consider yourself kissed on your cute l'il tush!

(Actually, I'm not the butt kissing type. I just honestly haven't had opportunity to disagree with you, YET! Believe me, if/when it happens, I'll be sure to let you know!)

To me pornography is spending all your money and not educating the people in America but spending it instead on weapons, to me thats pornographic, thats totally filthy... you all in your fucking hearts know the goddamn arguments."

acYou know what Bill, its very rare that you are right about something, but in this once in a life-time moment such as this, I will apologize.

I apologize that you have no clue of whats really going on in this world. Im terribly sorry that you take millions of dollars from your liberal friends to spew hate and bigotry to the American people. I'm even more sorry that you think 60% of the people in America are just stupid.

We should just all fold to Obama's socialist utopia, give up our lives for the other 40% of America that wants their share of the rich's wages and the 40% who smoke pot, shoot up cocaine, those prostitutes, illegal immigrants, gangs, and other friends of yours.We are terribly sorry that the MAJORITY of America doesn't want Obama's health care plan.

We are sorry that more than 60% of people believe in the truth, a loving God who sent His Son, Jesus, to die on a cross so that WE (yes that means you Bill) may be redeemed. We are sorry that we dont buy this rediculous notion that we came from a monkey, but to compromise, we will allow you to believe still that you came from a monkey.

We are sorry that we lived on the greatest nation on earth, until the progressives came along and wanted to destroy everything that made America great.

Now that I have made an apology on behalf of the 60% of the stupid American's, how about an apology for calling us stupid? How about an apology for being ignorant to the 60% of American's feelings for loving our Lord Jesus? Would you apologize for promoting abortion?

Would you apologize to the men and women who serve our country, might I add, voluntarily, knowing they are going to war, and acknowledge they love our country a great deal more than you can understand? Would you apologize to those families that lost a member because they were "stupid" enough to sign that dotted line in service of our country?

I doubt you would apologize...But I will not take my apology back. That's what seperates us from the 40% that you would rather be.

ps.. if you havent figured out where the 60% or 40% is being referenced, its on The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien.

In 1997 NORAD said they insure, "Aircraft flying over our air space are monitored seven days a week, 24 hours a day."

In 2004 the Air Force contradictorily said, "Before 2001, 1st Air Force was charged with keeping an eye on the nation’s borders, usually looking for threats in the form of Russian aircraft skirting too close for comfort to the mainland. In those few hours, the command’s mission went from looking outward to looking inward."

Liberal media, hunh? That's as quaint as "Southen Hospitality", and both are total bullshit. Liberal Meida is a cop out. If you don't like the news, color it opposite wrong. Or cry into a napkin - they're both cathartic, aren't they?

You want to talk about a tight-lipped administration? Did you blank out the last 8 years? Many of us tried. Those guys wrote the book on stone walling inquiries behind a distracting veil of Patriotism. The only point I'll certainly concede is Obama has continued the tradition. He made the mistake of saying he wouldn't be like the Dubya-Cheney administration. Turns out some closets need to remain closed - especially when the former VP and CEO of Halliburton shat all over them.

So the media isn't asking tough questions of our President. Well, that is when you overlook the quasi-news-like Fox News organization - they ask questions all the time, even when they're only meant to imply total bullshit. But yeah, media doesn't ask tough questions, or more importantly, they don't get the satisfactory answers. This ain't new, and it's totally valid. You can go one of two ways as I see it: find better news online, or turn on Fox News and let the soothing aura of reassuring, emotionally strong and factually weak, suggestive reporting keep your wits on guard for the liberal manifesto. Because we won't rest until hard working Christian Americans have to give up their property to unemployed, inner city crackheads (or at least that's how it reads in the DNC charter).

Bashing Rush and Beck and Hannity isn't bashing. What they do is bashing. What we do is simply call them out. They are self-important, un-educators that preach unsupported, often contradictive words on so-called "news" stations to an overly-sensitive audience. They boil the world's - OK, America's - events into a direct pipeline of opinion for the mush-minded. Need a reason to be pissed? Rush has plenty of them. You know why? The angrier you get, the more money they make.

Sure, maybe you could say that about Bill. I'd say the clear difference is he's funny.

And you want to know why Bill singles out Christians as it'd seem? You ever hear "we're a Christian nation" from someone? Christians are a majority in this country, and many have gotten it in their minds that somehow, the folks who started this nation to persue their religions freely had REALLY started this nation to pursue THEIR religions freely - Christian religions. You'd be thick to not recognize the overwhleming clout Christians sway in this nation of questionable religious freedom. Great swaths of people vote on the single issue of abortion almost entirely because of Christian convictions.

In short, on a 1 hour program, Christians come up much more than any other group because of their overwhelming influence. You can watch Religulous the movie some time - he questions Muslims as well. But Muslims don't rally entire American neighborhoods to vote for a candidate based on their support for prayer in school. Muslims don't control the most powerful lobbyist groups in America. Christians do.

So, with so much material on Christians, why go after Muslims or Jews? What are you going to complain about Judaism, it's silly-sounding holiday names (Yom Kippur - hilarious)? And you know Muslims don't receive criticism well - if a cartoon can prompt a murder, I'd say Bill's just playing it safe with Christians. All they'll do is explain your distance from Jesus, and maybe tell you your lawn is getting too tall.

How about we talk aout how Jews control the world - how rich Jews control world finance, media and the like, getting countries like America to go to war with Iraq and possibly Iran, which serves NO ONE's interests but Israels. It's irrelevant who the majority in this country is, for the white Christian majority hasn't been listened to in decades. Such is why we have affirmative action, rampant illegal immigration, and endless welfare for minorities who live off the backs of white workers. Jews protest to get Christmas trees taken out of schools and even airports, while demanding we teach the Chanukah song in class. That which you are allowed to bash is not that which controls. That which you are not allowed to bash is what rules. You couldn't bash the Catholic Church in the Medieval times without being persecuted. You couldn't bash the Nazis during their rule in Germany. And you can't bash the Jews today without being called an anti-Semite and blacklisted from any career, especially in the media. However, you can bash Christians and get away with it just fine, as Bill does. Listen, I'm not Christian and I think all religions are stupid. That being said, Bill needs to show a little more balls and go after everyone equally, including Jews. He once brought up a few years back how holocaust-denial laws in Europe were fascist, because how can we preach Western freedom when we lock people up for denying history. People can deny whatever the fuck they want, but not in most of the West when it comes to the Jews. They want to bring these laws to America, Thank God our Constitution has held them at bay as of yet.

I have always loved how people such as Maher and his tiny little following think of Middle America (from where they get all of their survival goods) like this and have never met the True Middle America!

It's truly sad what we have become as a nation.....hate and blame...that's what we are!

For those of you who still believe that the media pretty much reports the truth, and that the media reported the truth (or close to it) about 9/11, then watch Aaron Broussard (Jefferson Parish President) on September 5, 2005 being interviewed on Meet the Press. Fast forward to 3:10 minutes in the YouTube video below where Broussard says that FEMA officers were cutting down the emergency communication lines days after Katrina blew over:

Also, several months after Katrina hit, the National Hurricane Center affirmed that Category 1 -2 winds (74-110 mph) swept over New Orleans, NOT Category 4 or 5 winds:

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WEATHER/12/21/katrina/index.html

Now, at the time Katrina was approaching New Orleans, government officials were worried that the New Orleans levee system would not survive a Category 4 or 5 hurricane. There was NEVER any question that the levee system couldn't cope with Category 1 - 2 hurricanes!

In other words, all the reports we were getting from persons living near the levee system saying that the levee was blown up are true!

Now, pay attention to the current newscasts on this fourth anniversary of Katrina. All the commentators talk about Category 4 - 5 winds. They STILL won't tell you that the actual winds that hit New Orleans were Category 1 - 2 winds!

Are you now beginning to understand how the media covers up crimes committed by the Federal government regardless of the political party in power in Washington, DC?

Do any of you people realize that this country was founded on illegal immigration? That it was the CHRISTIANS who slaughtered natives, signed treaties and broke them, stole our children and beat and raped them while they tried to kill our culture, without the knowledge and consent of our women performed complete hystorectomies when our women were being seen for something completely unrelated!

Yup, thats the kind of shit we expect from christians, and muslims and jews.

You're just jealous your people didn't get the upper hand on them, aren't you? It seems a shame they didn't stay in Europe, but the story isn't finished yet. Hang on for the ending, you'll like it better.

If the founders were alive today, Republicans would be giving them shit because the Declaration of Independence says, "In order to form a more perfect union? Hello, it's already perfect! Why are you suggesting American apologetics, Ben Franklin?"

"In order to form a more perfect union?

That's in the Preamble of the Constituton.

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

Buy a history book, and put an HTML editor on here that accepts a few more tags, like "blockquote", "del", "ins" et al.

I'm not sure how many of you guys know this, but the NTSB came out several years ago with the official flight path of Flight 77 just before it approaches the Pentagon. So what, you ask? Well, the NTSB report contradicts the official narrative of Flight 77 as that aircraft approaches the Pentagon.

We also have Pentagon police officers (Sergeants Lagasse and Brooks) and civilians who place Flight 77 approaching the Pentagon from the NORTH of the Citgo Gas Station. So what, you ask again? Well, the official narrative of Flight 77 places its flight path coming in SOUTH of the Citgo Gas Station! In other words, whatever caused the damage path to the Pentagon's interior (which could only be caused by an aircraft approaching the Pentagon from the SOUTH of the Citgo Gas Station) was NOT Flight 77.

Watch the interviews in the documentary below of the Pentagon police officers and civilians as they destroy not only the official narrative of Flight 77, but also destroy the official 9/11 narrative:

What I was thinking when I saw that was "Yup, and all Republicans would cross the street to get away fom Jesus Christ if they saw him on the street today."

Despite the fact that Jesus had obvious republican values, such as engaging in war for profit.

I hope Track Palin comes home in one piece. I hope he learns what a completely gluttonous waste of life and resources war is, and goes into politics to improve the union.

The Declaraion of Independence (DoI) is the first and primary legal contract that the US government holds with its people. The Constitution is a derivative contract that intends to frame and implement the guarantees promised in the DoI.

As such the Constitution can be revised or even discarded and replaced, as Thomas Jefferson speculated might be necessary. Fortunately it has not been necessary.

I think the problem we gave right now is corporate PACs, bribes and blackmail. The legislators, executors and judiciary are all bent so far the interests of their constituents who voted for them & the American public is not even on their top 10 list of responsibilities. We need effective legislation to limit influences to only corporeal human entities, no discorporeal corpations or lobby organizations that vanish when sent their tax bill.

If this shit doesn't get fixed quick then JAY LENO's goverment we deserve will bloody happen, bloody.

Otherwise I disagree with JAY LENO: we get the government foisted upon us by the selectors of the candidates and either Die-bold, the secret and unconstitutional Electoral College, or least likely the chimp's votes.

I was put on paid administrative leave by my school district for showing this piece to my Advanced College Credit writing class. That and playing a rap song as a discussion starter about when authorial stance crosses "the line". They believe it was crossed, apparently.

About the notion that the U.S. is actually fighting Christian wars... I saw a Marine Corps F-18 (and I've got a photo of it) where they had painted a medieval type knights shield on the tail with a large cross on it. On the fuel tank was written in large letters, "Crusaders". Care to look up that word in the dictionary? Anyway, that image didn't leave much to the imagination. This was a jet paid for by the U.S. tax payers who probably wouldn't entirely appreciate that paint job.

Hi Jughead,I actually took the article for the class from the Huffington Post. The line that upset everyone was a quip about almost dropping the bible he was using to help masterbate into a gun. They lost the irony, I think. Thanks for asking. It was a college class, I'll remind you--lest you think I have no sense of what's right for secondary kids. The point was to consider authorial stance--when does someone go too far, when are they preaching to the choir, and when are they reaching the other side. Logos, pathos, and ethos.

OK, now I understand. Don't worry about my sense of order, I have been deprogramming the child victims of the populist cults for many years, in the private sector and universities.

I use most of their their tactics on inquiring minds, and a few they don't know yet. I am still able to laugh, which is why I am here.

You did the right thing. I hope you are gathering your recollection of this event and before and after on paper, while its fresh, and any related references that led up to this. Try to document your inspiration to your choices, and the mind shuttering of the previous 8 years as it played out in your community, etc. It will help you maintain perspective in the years to come. Don't write for this, but it might also give you a solid legal position.

That said, write the case as you imagine it. Then rewrite it, being critical of your biases - the first writing is by nature subjective and emotionally charged. Then rewrite it again, being harsh of the emotionally bias just revealed. This should leave you with a cool dissertation that will make it so easy for a lawyer that you can swap them out, as you wade through that scummy swamp, on your way to the final appeal.

That and perhaps in a decade or so some unadulterated law student might find it on a shelf, dust it off and raise its argument for their thesis, and become an arbitrater for reason in a darkening world.

I think you stroked the rents the wrong way by pointing out to their most precious sacrificial objects the reasons why the authoritarian units would blind their own children's 3rd eyes... as you most definitely know.

So, where you going for vacation? I mean, after what they did you deserve a break, lady. That is, after you finish asserting your legal rights.

Can you help devise a strategy and implement an assault on Limbaugh & Beck and the other corporate brain washers that are misleading the masses in our once great nation?

Anything is better than for us to keep ignoring them, and them to keep undermining our chances to ever regain a reasonable semblance of a working America.

Not only do we need the Democrats to stand up and lead, but somehow we need to remove the freak-corrupt-media-jocks from their roles as brain-washers to the folks who aren't able to think for themselves.

I complete agree with your sentiments. Trouble is, you don't get it yet. Obama and the Democrats are doing exactly what they want to be doing. This is not health care reform, it is a way to increase the profits of the health insurers and pharma. They don't give a rat's ass about real health care for everyone in America.

Bill,I hope you get Barbara Ehrenreich on your show. See:AlterNetBarbara Ehrenreich: The Relentless Promotion of Positive Thinking Has Undermined AmericaBy Emily Wilson, AlterNetPosted on October 10, 2009, Printed on October 11, 2009http://www.alternet.org/story/143187/

When Barbara Ehrenreich went to be treated for breast cancer, she was exhorted to think positively; and when she expressed feelings of fear and anger, she was chided for being negative.

Ehrenreich, the author of 16 books, including Nickel and Dimed and Bait and Switch, which examine the blue- and white-collar job markets, took on what she sees as an epidemic of positive thinking in her new book: Bright-Sided: How the Relentless Promotion of Positive Thinking Has Undermined America.In her new book, Ehrenreich examines how the positive-thinking movement was started by Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of Christian Science, and an amateur metaphysician named Phineas Parkhurst Quimby in response to Calvinism; how being positive became mandatory in corporate culture; and how she thinks prosperity preachers, such as Joel Osteen of Lakewood Church in Houston encouraged a culture of debt by telling their congregations that God wants them to have a big house and a nice car.

We often blamed the victim, the rather low-paid person who wound up with a subprime mortgage, but they were even hearing it from their preachers if they went to one of these megachurch, positive-thinking preachers who said God wants you to have a larger house.

Bill,In the land of the free, the freedom to express your sexuality can land you in prison.

Are you aware of what has happened in the U.S. with the sex offender laws? I hope you will care. I am involved with two organizations (F.A.S.T. False Allegation Support Team and RSOL Reform Sex Offender Laws) that are trying to change these laws. Today, the registry includes a majority of mostly men who are not dangerous, esp. to children. My oldest son, who is mentally ill was falsely accused many years ago by an 8 yr. old girl of sexually abusing her. Several years ago she recanted. http://www.citypaper.com/news/story.asp?id=1492212 The political climate under Bush has promoted false accusations. My son is still on the registry but there are many more cases like his. Most are done by teens. I used to do child abuse investigations and have never seen anything like what's been going on today.

I'm reading the NYT article on your prescription to avoid the swine flu vaccine. I am a huge fan and agree with much of what you say, but caution should be used when directing people on medical choices when you are not a trained physician. People's lives do depend on it.

I would like to know "WHO DIED AND MADE YOU THE SPEAKER OF ALL AMERICANS?" We are not stupid, in fact I now think that you are STUPID for saying that. You need to apoligize to ALL the American people for what you said about us.

Bill I am glad that you talk about the importance of eating healthy food on your show.

I do not want to eat genetically modified food and because American food manufacturers will not label foods that contain GM crops I do not buy any food that is imported from the America. I like America and would like your economy to pick up and so I am disappointed by this situation.

The new consumer protection body that Obama is bring in will be used to address the following;

* Banks giving loans to people who can not afford them.

* Credit card companies charging 30% interest.

* Corporations that make products that knowingly harm consumers. I hope GM crops get a big kick in the butt.

I hope Obama gives this new agency a lot of teeth. It costs too much money for one person to have a law suit agains a corporation however, usually a government entity can stay in their for years if need be.

Regarding vaccination, you are one mother fucking stupid son of a bitch. Leave the U.S. and live in some other country, lesser developed, for a few years, unvaccinated, no bug juice, no health care, just you, a blount and the pool boy.

PS, the show sucked. A waste. Wasn't funny. Wasn't informed. Your guests were neutered by you 1/2 of the way in.

This is the perfect blog for anyone who wants to know about this topic. You know so much its almost hard to argue with you (not that I really would want...HaHa). You definitely put a new spin on a subject thats been written about for years. Great stuff, just great!

I am thoroughly convinced in this said post. I am currently searching for ways in which I could enhance my knowledge in this said topic you have posted here. It does help me a lot knowing that you have shared this information here freely. I love the way the people here interact and shared their opinions too. I would love to track your future posts pertaining to the said topic we are able to read.

This is the perfect blog for anyone who wants to know about this topic. You know so much its almost hard to argue with you (not that I really would want...HaHa). You definitely put a new spin on a subject thats been written about for years. Great stuff, just great!

Really you have done great job,There are may person searching about that now they will find enough resources by your post.I like this blog..Blogger how when you visit my site,My Site created for men's health,Here the best method for you and get the best Penis Enlargement Pills today.